Literacy Pamphlet for Parents

Literacy FocusEmergent LearnersBeginning Learners Transitional LearnersIntermediate Learners

EMERGENT READERS, WRITERS, AND SPELLERS

-A simple guide for families to understand the characteristics of emergent-level children and how to help them at home-

The EMERGENT stage of reading, writing, & spelling is usually seen in children pre-K through middle 1st grade.

EMERGENT READERS

What youll see--- * Pretend reading-retelling using a familiar book (they use much picture support) * Memory reading-more accurate reading of books by pointing to text in some way

* Attempts to touch individual words, but inconsistently

* Unable to read what they write

EMERGENT WRITERS

During this stage, children will begin with random marks or scribbles, and move toward discovering that scribbling and drawing can represent something What youll see--- Pretend writing

Example:(early stage) rxallmmfe(late stage) I K S K P (I like housekeeping.)

EMERGENT SPELLERS

What youll see--- * Pretend writing using symbols (drawing and scribbling) * Some letter-sound matching

EmergentActivities you can do from the website http://pals.edschool.virginia.edu

(Reading) Concept of word: Be the SentenceMaterials: large index cardsProcedure: 1. Create a short sentence, such as Today is Monday. 2. Write each word from the short sentence on a large card. 3. Give each word to your children and other family members and name it for them. (Sam, you are the word today.) 4. Have someone else in the family read the sentence to check the direction and order of the sentence.

(writing) Name bags

Materials: plastic bags, any type of letter cards or magnetic lettersProcedure: 1. Place the letters of each childs name in a bag. 2. Have your child put them in order to spell his or her name. 3.The child can switch name bags to spell another family members or a friends name, or words can be introduced.

(spelling) Show meMaterials: show me pockets, set of letter cards for your childProcedure: 1.. Create Show me pockets by folding over a piece of strong paper three times (like a letter for an envelope). Then fold up the bottom and tape or staple sections to create three small pockets. Make sure the letters fit inside the pockets so they can easily be seen. 2. Give a set of letter cards and a Show me pocket to your child.3. Call out a CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) word and ask your child to put the letters in the right position in his/her pockets to create the word. Have your child close the pockets. 4. Say, Show Me!5. Have your child open his/her Show me pockets to show the word he/she created.6. Call out a new word and repeat the steps.

BEGINNING READERS, WRITERS, AND SPELLERS

-for families to understand the characteristics of beginning-level children and how to help them at home-

The BEGINNING stage of reading, writing, & spelling is usually seen in children Kindergarten through middle 2nd grade.

BEGINNING READERS

What youll see--- Finger point to words as they read Read aloud to themselves Word by word reading (not much fluency at this stage) Children can usually read what they write

BEGINNING WRITERS During this stage, children begin to write in a more conventional way. Their writing becomes more readable, by themselves and by others.

What youll see--- Word by word writing (they may write a few words or lines)EXAMPLE:My gamnmoe kam to my hosn. (My grandma came to my house.)

BEGINNING SPELLERSThis spelling stage is referred to as the Letter Name-Alphabetic stage.What youll see--- Children spell beginning sounds in syllables1) They begin to use first and last sounds in words2) Finally, they begin to use short vowel patternsEXAMPLE:For the word bed, you may see:BBDBAD Children will begin to learn consonant blends (st, bl, fl), short vowels in word families (at, fat, bat, sat)They will begin to study patterns outside of rhyming patterns (saw, was)

What you can do to help your child--- * Have your child dictate stories to you (he/she tells, you write). Then have him/her read it back to you, while pointing to the words* Read and recite rhymes with your child (nursery rhymes are great!) * Read with and to your child, using patterned books. Once the book is familiar, have your child read and point to the words

BeginningActivities you can do from the website http://pals.edschool.virginia.edu

(Reading) Treasure Hunt Materials: prizes-stickers, books, food, etc., cards with words/pictures of room items or locations Procedure: 1. Organize a treasure hunt during which your child (children) can use a set of cards with words and pictures to guide their hunt. 2. Cards can indicate different locations where your child can find new directions. 3. During the hunt, use questions to guide problem solving or to reflect on the hunt later. Draw attention to the words that go with the pictures. 4. After a few hunts, encourage your child to hide prizes and use cards to create hunts for you.As your child becomes more successful, use word cards only (no pictures) to create the treasure hunts.

(Writing) Word Play: A silly poem

Materials: paper, marker Procedure: 1.Tell your child that sometimes poets make up silly words and put them together to create fun poems. Share the first two stanzas of Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. (Explain that the things mentioned are all pretend).2. Jabberwocky: Twas brilling, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, And the mome rathe outgrabe. Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the fruminous Bandersnatch!3. Encourage your child to share his/her responses to the poem. Ask why the writer may have made up words instead of using real ones.4. Help your child create a poem, using real and pretend words, and be silly.5. Ask your child to add the next line of the poem. Take turns adding lines and read the entire poem together when youre done.

(Spelling) Word huntMaterials: trade books, magazines that children can read easilyProcedure: 1. Decide on 2 initial consonants your child will hunt for in the reading. 2. Ask your child to write the initial letters they will search for at the top of a piece of paper. 3. Tell your child he/she will look for words that start with the letters M and S, for example. 4. Explain that after he/she finds a word that starts with the letter, he/she should write it down under the right heading M or S, on a piece of paper. Have him/her read the lists of words.

TRANSITIONAL READERS, WRITERS, AND SPELLERS

-A simple guide for families to understand the characteristics of transitional-level children and how to help them at home-

The TRANSITIONAL stage of reading, writing, & spelling is usually seen in children 1st through middle 4th grade.

TRANSITIONAL READERS

What youll see--- More fluent reading, with some expression Reading in phrases, with pauses at the end of sentences Reading rate that approaches 100 words per minute Finger-pointing drops away Predicting story outcomes

TRANSITIONAL WRITERSDuring this stage, children write with increasing fluency and expression. They express their ideas in more complex ways, and they are able to write with greater speed. They are able to present sequence of events, and stories have morals.

What youll see--- Approaching fluency More organization Several paragraphs in writingEXAMPLE:My cousin came from Alaska for the holidays. She came to school with me for two days! Then we had a happy chismas. The day after chrismas I siting in a car going to Disnyland!

TRANSITIONAL SPELLERSThis spelling stage is referred to as the Within Word Pattern stage.

What youll see---* More word patterns* Correct spelling of most single-syllable short vowel words * Using different long vowel patterns (cake, say, rain), although they often confuse the patterns EXAMPLE:FLOTE for FLOATSPOLE for SPOILCHUED for CHEWED

What you can do to help your child---

* Let them practice reading materials that arent too difficult. Rereading books is great! * Help your child with word sorts that involve using different long vowel patterns* Continue reading with and to your child * Have your child write every day

Transitionalactivities you can do from the website http://pals.edschool.virginia.edu

(Reading) Around the worldMaterials: Around the world cardsProcedure: 1. Make Around the World cards from a collection of the sight words your child may know. Write I have _____ (the blank is the sight word). Can you find ______? ( a different sight word). Each card should say this, using different words, of course! 2. Deal out cards to you and your child. Allow the game to continue until you reach the last card.

(writing) Rewrite a Sports ArticleMaterials: A sports article from the newspaper or a magazineProcedure:1. Select some interesting sports articles from the newspaper/magazine.2. Note what words are used to attribute quotes to various speakers.3. Have your child rewrite the attributes with more vivid language. In other words, find synonyms for says or said.

(Spelling) Word Family BingoMaterials: 5 bingo cards with a few word family endings in various order, picture cards that match endings on bingo cards, and chips to cover the cards (Smarties candy words well!)Procedure: 1. After your child/children has received a bingo card, begin by choosing a picture card and showing it to them. 2. If the pictures word family ending appears on their bingo card, they cover it with a chip. 3. First person to fill their bingo card wins! EXAMPLES of word family endings: Fan (an words)-the picture may be of a man-it has the same ending an as fan Cat (at words)-the picture may be of a mat-it has the same ending at as cat

INTERMEDIATE READERS, WRITERS, AND SPELLERS

-A simple guide for families to understand the characteristics of intermediate-level children and how to help them at home-

The INTERMEDIATE stage of reading, writing, & spelling is usually seen in children grades 3rd through 8th.

INTERMEDIATE READERS

What youll see--- Beginning to expand reading interests (many different topics) Working on reading strategies (using knowledge to work on text) Vocabulary grows Predicting story outcomes becomes stronger

INTERMEDIATE WRITERSDuring this stage, children write with more sophisticated word knowledge. This involves working with syllables and affixes (word beginnings and endings), which allows writing to be more fluent and expressive.

What youll see--- Different writing styles and genres (poems, non-fiction, letters, reports etc.) Writing will show personal problem solving and reflection

EXAMPLE:Janell Cannons books, Stellaluna and Verdi are different and alike in many ways. Stellaluna and Verdi both learned a lesson but, on the other hand, they learned different lessons. Although the characters are alike because Stellaluna and Verdi both got separated from their mo, Verdi had to go out on his own.

INTERMEDIATE SPELLERSThis spelling stage is referred to as the Syllables and Affixes stage.

What youll see--- *A study of plurals and suffixes *Spelling-meaning connections (meanings of prefixes) *A study of syllables and their junctures (settle, success, occasion)*A study of words that have consonants which are doubled (hopping, vs. hoping)

Intermediateactivities you can do from the website http://pals.edschool.virginia.edu

Homophone Solitaire Materials: 48 word cards using two-syllable homophones. The cards are made up of 2 suits (1) homophones in the stressed syllable, (2) homophones in the unstressed syllable. There are 12 pairs of matching homophones for each suit:Homophone lists:Suit 1: stressed Suit 2:unstressedaloud allowedpatiencepatientscinder senderacceptexceptmorning mourningalteraltarberryburyminerminorroomerrumorcouncilcounselkernelcolonelhangerhangarholywhollyprofitprophetoralauralmusselmusclevaryverylessonlessencensorsensorpresencepresentsawfuloffalcanvascanvassinciteinsightbaronbarren

Homophone Solitaire continued Procedure:1. Shuffle the deck; then turn one card over at a time. Say the word, observe the pattern, and place the card down, face up.2. Turn over the next card. Place it on top of the previously placed card if it matches (alter, altar)3. Continue play in this way, placing cards with no matches to the right of the last card played. Stacks may be picked up and consolidated at any time. The top card played on a stack determines the movement.4. You may move back no more than four stacks for play. Game ends when the whole deck is used.

Ow! Materials: ou and ow word cards (list is below):Country, council, lousy, fountain, mountain, scoundrel, counter, around, bounty, foundry, mouthful, flower, allow, brownie, vowel, shower, towel, tower, chowder, coward, drowsy, powder, rowdy, prowler, powerProcedure:1. Sort the word cards into the ow spelling or the ou spelling 2. Sort the two-syllable ou word cards into words accented on the first syllable and words accented on the second syllable. 3. Do the same for the ow word cards. 4. Combine the ou and ow word cards and sort into words accented on the first syllable and words accented on the second syllable.

The information and activities in this pamphlet have been compiled from information in Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction, by Donald R. Bear, Marcia Invernizzi, Shane Templeton, & Francine Johnston.